The Massive 100-Ton Muzzle-loading Gun: A Forgotten Piece of Naval History

🔫The 100-ton muzzle-loading gun was the largest of its kind and an engineering marvel.

🏰The gun was designed to protect British fortifications in Gibraltar and Malta from Italian battleships.

💣The gun fired 2,000-pound shells with 450 pounds of black powder, capable of penetrating 15 inches of steel armor.

⚙️The gun was operated by a steam engine and hydraulic system, making it the first fully automated gun of its time.

🔥The gun had a rate of fire of one round every 6 minutes, but required a complex reloading process.

What was the purpose of the 100-ton muzzle-loading gun?

—The gun was designed to protect British fortifications in Gibraltar and Malta from Italian battleships.

How powerful was the gun?

—The gun fired 2,000-pound shells with 450 pounds of black powder, capable of penetrating 15 inches of steel armor.

How was the gun operated?

—The gun was operated by a steam engine and hydraulic system, making it the first fully automated gun of its time.

What was the rate of fire of the gun?

—The gun had a rate of fire of one round every 6 minutes, but required a complex reloading process.

Was the gun ever used in combat?

—No, the gun was never fired in combat. It was used as a deterrent.

00:00Introducing the largest muzzle-loading gun ever built, the 100-ton naval fortification gun.

05:32The gun was designed to protect British fortifications in Gibraltar and Malta from Italian battleships.

12:22The gun fired 2,000-pound shells with 450 pounds of black powder, capable of penetrating 15 inches of steel armor.

14:11The gun was operated by a steam engine and hydraulic system, making it the first fully automated gun of its time.

19:07The gun had a rate of fire of one round every 6 minutes, but required a complex reloading process.